ECR Net Zero Conference 2026
Early Career Researcher Jinning Zhang , a lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Leicester and a member of the Supergen Energy Networks Hub (SEN) Early Career Researcher Committee recently supported the planning and development of the ECR Net Zero Conference 2026. The conference, held in Birmingham in March, was led by the Supergen Energy Networks and Supergen Bioenergy hubs and was sponsored by 16 EPSRC funded energy research projects. The two day event brought together over 180 attendees and showcased exceptional cross-hub community building and interdisciplinary engagement. Jinning- a member of the SEN ECR Committee, along with ECR’s from across all 16 research projects played a central role in designing the full agenda, contributed to planning, and chaired parallel sessions focused on low carbon technologies and infrastructure. This ECR-led model exemplified meaningful participation and ownership, reinforcing the importance of empowering emerging researchers to shape the direction and culture of the wider energy research community.
As an ECR, being part of the planning and delivery of a conference session was both challenging and genuinely rewarding.
Planning the session meant thinking carefully about balance, bringing together speakers from academia, industry, and policy to shape a programme that felt both diverse and well connected. It provided a valuable opportunity to build confidence in reaching out and in designing a session that would be inclusive and engaging for a wide audience.
Session chairing on the day was fast paced but energising. Keeping everything on track while encouraging discussion helped us develop skills we don’t often use in day-to-day research. The conversations were a real highlight, seeing different perspectives connecting in a way that felt genuinely collaborative rather than siloed.
The conference truly created a strong sense of community. Across keynotes, parallel sessions, training, and posters, there were plenty of opportunities for ECRs to share their work and connect with others. It brought together researchers, industry, and funders in a way that encouraged open exchange and showed the value of working collaboratively to tackle shared challenges in the transition to a just and sustainable net zero future
“It offered us a unique opportunity to step beyond our usual research and contribute to shaping open, collaborative dialogue”
